Lori S. Wiener

Be A Friend is a short story about children that are living with HIV. This isn't a typical book because it is actually writings and drawings of the children that live with HIV. They talk about their dealings with HIV and how they go about their every day life. This book really hits you close to the heart because the writings are from real children that have illustrated the pictures as well. One thing that I really liked about the book, is how the often bring up God. They ask questions like show more "Why do I have to have HIV?" and "Will God find a cure for HIV?" This book is very personal and gives you first hand information about how children with HIV deal with it. show less

I found this book to be very touching because it is from the children's point of view who are living with HIV. Instead of their lives being written about, each child has put in their own words and drawings what it is like to be different and live with HIV.

Be a Friend is a moving book with writing and drawings of children with HIV and AIDS. They tell us how they face rejection from friends, deal with having a terminal illness, carrying a secret, and fear for their families. Compiled from the works of children being treated at the National Cancer Institute, Be a Friend is a message of acceptance to people everywhere. While this particular book is now almost 20 years old, I don't think the specific HIV and AIDS information would be relevant, show more however, I could use this book to talk about being sensitive, supportive, accepting, and a friend to people around us who maybe suffering with a chronic illness. show less

This book was really emotional to me.Kids usually aren't that upfront and honest about their feelings. In this book children speak out about their feelings of having HIV. It was truly heartbreaking to see what some of the kids had to say. I could never imagine having to think about going to heaven that early or to think about how I could lose each of my friends at any moment.